


belladonic addiction

by renhyuck (thereisnoreality)



Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Vampire, Blood Drinking, M/M, Mutual Pining, Polyamory
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-01
Updated: 2019-04-01
Packaged: 2019-12-27 00:55:46
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 18,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18293585
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thereisnoreality/pseuds/renhyuck
Summary: Jaemin meets his eyes squarely, and leans closer. “As much as I am able,” he says, his fingers encircling Renjun’s wrist and pressing into the spot where his pulse jumps. Renjun’s heart stutters and by the flash in Jaemin’s eyes, he hears it. “As much as I am able,” Jaemin repeats lowly. “I promise you, I’ll take care of you. Both of you.”Renjun stares up at him, suddenly realising something. Realising that he was far too small, his chest far too tiny, to hold this much affection for two people. Realising that something had to give soon or they’d all - all three of them - implode.





	belladonic addiction

**Author's Note:**

> thank you sierra for being my first commission! i hope you like it ♡♡♡ 
> 
> and thank you to my amazing, amazing beta who let me weep over the many appendages i had to keep track of and still added commas to my writing without complaining
> 
> as always, a [playlist](https://open.spotify.com/user/thereisnoreality/playlist/5EZk04eptXW97qmp2wbt9x?si=HqJSyNHqTsyrlLFD0A3gPQ)  
> 

 

Renjun wakes up to the smell of coffee. For a second he thinks he’s dreaming, because it’s definitely still five in the morning, as the sun hasn’t risen, and Donghyuck can hardly be persuaded to wake up before ten am to go to class, let alone to make someone else coffee. Renjun squints as he checks the time, and considers going back to sleep for another few precious minutes before deciding it’s ultimately not worth it. He hauls himself out of bed, groaning as he does so. 

 

It turns out it _ is _ Donghyuck in the kitchen, humming quietly as he watches the coffee machine do its thing, moving around to get mugs and sugar out of their cabinets. Renjun watches him for a second, something painful clenching in his heart at the sight of Donghyuck’s bed head, before moving closer. 

 

“What are you doing up?” Renjun asks, his voice still scratchy from sleep.

 

Donghyuck turns around, and Renjun can’t hold back the wince when he sees Donghyuck’s bloodshot eyes, the skin around the scars on his neck a black and blue mess. “Couldn’t sleep,” he says. “Figured I might as well make you coffee.”

 

“You make shit coffee,” Renjun sighs, moving forward to push Donghyuck’s puffy hair off his forehead. His skin feels too hot. 

 

Donghyuck pouts. “You could be grateful, you know.”

 

“I’m going to go wash up,” Renjun says, but he brushes his hand across Donghyuck’s waist in silent thanks as he goes. 

  
  
  


When he gets back out, properly dressed for his morning shift at the cafe and still feeling like death, he finds Donghyuck asleep on the couch, a large travel mug on the ground next to him. Renjun feels a wave of fondness crash over him, and he carefully pulls a blanket over Donghyuck’s slightly twitching body before picking up the mug and quietly locking the door behind him. 

 

The morning shift at the Crumbling Bean is honestly one of Renjun’s favourites to work, despite the hell he goes through to wake up every day. It’s only him and Sicheng there at that time, quietly moving around each other to open up the shop and finding no need to talk. There’s something intrinsically soothing in the mundane routine of powering up the espresso machine, setting out that day’s baked goods, opening the cash register. And the regulars that come in are usually dead on their feet, too tired to do anything more than grunt in thanks as they take their coffee and leave, letting the shop fall back into silence, just as Renjun likes it. 

 

This morning, however, a new person walks through the door. It wouldn’t be of much note to Renjun - they have newcomers all the time, though rare as they are in the early morning - but this stranger is particularly strange because he was a vampire. A vampire with bright pink hair. 

 

“Good morning,” Renjun says, moving to the register. “How can I help you?”

 

The vampire glowers at him. “Large black coffee. Now.”

 

Renjun raises an eyebrow at him. “There’s a nicer way of saying that, you know.” Just because he was in customer service did not mean he had to put with assholes. 

 

The vampire stares at him for a beat before leaning his elbows on the counter and baring his tee- fangs. “Listen here, you insufferable human. I’ve had a very long day. I haven’t had a  _ drop _ of blood in the last seventy two hours. Now, are you going to give me my coffee or do I have to go somewhere else?”   
  


Renjun glowers back at him despite his blood pressure ratcheting up several notches, and opens his mouth to rip this entitled asshole into shreds, but before he can, Sicheng nudges him over. 

 

“I’ll take care of it,” he says quietly. “Go check the stock or something.”

 

Renjun shoots the vampire a glare as he moves away from the counter. The vampire glares right back at him as Sicheng rings him up, and Renjun marches into the back to punch a box of styrofoam cups right off the shelf. 

  
  


His bad mood stays with him all day, lingering like a black cloud over his head and remains until Renjun goes back to his apartment, finally finished with his classes for the day. 

 

The slam of the door is loud enough to make Donghyuck poke his head out of his bedroom, a frown on his face. “What’s wrong with you?”   
  


“Nothing,” Renjun mutters, mulishly, kicking his shoes off and dropping on the couch. “Had a bad day at work.”

 

“Even after I made you coffee?” Donghyuck says, and without even looking at him, Renjun knows he’s got a pout on his face. “Must have been a really bad day then.”

 

“I keep telling you, your coffee is shit.” Renjun sighs as Donghyuck drops down next to him, immediately curling up next to him. Something twinges in Renjun’s chest at feeling Donghyuck’s warmth pouring off him as he nuzzles against Renjun’s body. It hurts almost constantly now, but he’s been living with it long enough that Renjun almost doesn’t notice it anymore.

 

“And yet you drink it anyway,” Donghyuck proclaims. “Tell me about your day.”

 

“I had an asshole customer,” Renjun sighs, his frustration mounting as he remembers the vampire’s smug face as he’d left with his coffee. “A vampire.”

 

Donghyuck hums. “Was he hot?”

 

Renjun lolls his head sideways to look at him with incredulity. “Seriously?”   
  


“It’s important to the narrative, Jun-ah,” Donghyuck says, tucking his head under Renjun’s jaw. “So, was he?”   
  


Renjun thinks of the vampire’s gleaming teeth and his hair. His annoying smug smile. “Unfortunately,” he mumbles and Donghyuck lets out a cackle. 

 

“Hot asshole vampire,” Donghyuck giggles. “Huh.”

 

“You’re supposed to be on my side,” Renjun whines, whacking Donghyuck’s thigh. “Be on  _ my _ side.”

 

“I’m always on your side, you big baby.” Donghyuck catches his hand before Renjun can hit him again and laces their fingers together. “Tell me his name, I’ll take him out for you.”

 

“I didn’t get his name,” Renjun sighs. “And also, you’d die before you even got close to a vampire.”

 

“I routinely let vampires near me on a daily basis,” Donghyuck shoots back. “I’m sure I could take him out.”

 

“I like you alive,” Renjun mutters, and rests his head atop Donghyuck’s. “Don’t go after any vamps.”

 

“And I like you happy,” Donghyuck murmurs back, and his hand tightens around Renjun. “Don’t let him get under your skin, okay?”

 

Renjun hums his agreement and takes a slow breath, feeling his body relax finally, limbs slumping into couch. He can feel Donghyuck press a kiss to the underside of his jaw and can’t help the fond smile that spreads across his face. 

 

🎴

 

The feeding center always looks like a German hospital straight out of a horror movie. The fluorescent lights flicker an awful colour and tinge everything a shade of nauseating green. Donghyuck, for the life of him, cannot figure out what was so enticing about it that made vampires come back, night after night, week after week, desperation in their eyes that spoke of a hunger Donghyuck would never be able to understand. 

 

“D, we’ve got a new one. Wanna take him?”

 

Donghyuck looks up from his sudoku, blinking at his supervisor. “We don’t get new ones,” he snorts. “We’re the shittiest blood bank in the city, why would any vamp come here?”

 

Ten shrugs, taking a large drag from the blunt in his fingers. “Don’t know, don’t care. He’s a new one and he doesn’t want my blood. You’re the only other one here.”

 

“That’s cause your blood is fucked,” Donghyuck snorts, folding up his sudoku and sliding it behind the computer screen. “It’s all that shit that you pump into yourself daily.”

 

“Hey, some people pay a very hefty sum of money for this shitty blood.” Ten points the burning end of the blunt at him. 

 

Donghyuck rolls his eyes and walks out into the waiting room. It’s true that Ten gets a higher list of clients than anyone else in the center, and it’s all thanks to his blood. A vampire can’t get high unless they drink from someone who is, and as long as Donghyuck has known him, Ten has never been sober. 

 

There’s only one vampire sitting in the waiting room. Donghyuck raises an eyebrow at his clothes, all clearly designer, and his hair, a bright mess of pink standing up around his head. 

 

“You the new client?” He asks, cocking his head. 

 

The vampire blinks up at him, and Donghyuck notes that his eyes have gone a bloody red. “Yes,” he says, hands clenching against the fabric of his trousers as he stands. “Jaemin Na. It’s a pleasure.”

 

“Yeah,” Donghyuck warily shakes his hand. “Same.” He eyes Jaemin’s fangs. “How long has it been since you fed?”   
  


Jaemin winces. “My uh- regular source of blood has uh- left me in the lurch. I’ve never used a feeding center before this and I was quite hesitant to start.”

 

“Been a while, then?”   
  


Jaemin coughs. “A couple of days.” Even the feigned nonchalance in his eyes isn’t enough to hide his desperation as he looks around the center with wide eyes, taking in the details with a curious gaze.

 

A center virgin then. Cute. Donghyuck tries not to smirk. “Well, come along then. Let’s get you some blood.”

 

Jaemin trips along behind him as Donghyuck sweeps the curtain aside to expose a long hallway of feeding rooms. The first door on the right is open and Donghyuck waves Jaemin in ahead of him before shutting the door behind him. “Okay, I assume Ten explained it all to you before?” Donghyuck asks. “Wrist is normal; if you want the neck, you’ll have to pay more.”

 

“I know,” Jaemin says hoarsely, but he doesn’t even seem to be looking at Donghyuck anymore. Instead, his gaze is fixed on Donghyuck’s neck, where his pulse jumps. Donghyuck tries not to let his amusement show on his face. It was never a good idea to piss off a hungry vampire. “Wri- your wrist is fine.” 

 

“I’m holding onto this,” Donghyuck says, waving his trusty bottle of garlic spray around. “You stop when I say stop or you get this in your face. Understand?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Donghyuck smiles, perching up on the bed and nodding for Jaemin to come closer. “Okay, have at it.”

 

Jaemin takes a shuddering breath, and Donghyuck watches, head cocked to the side as Jaemin licks his lips, mouth hovering over the veins that stand out against Donghyuck’s skin. 

 

Donghyuck blinks and Jaemin sinks his teeth in. 

 

It hurts. It always does for the first few seconds, and Donghyuck takes a huge breath, fighting to stay still as Jaemin makes a small noise, his other hand coming up to cradle Donghyuck’s hand and pull him closer. Donghyuck had figured out the bad way that moving during feeding would only rip the skin open farther, making the wound worse later on.

 

Then the pleasure hits and Donghyuck slumps against the back wall, eyes fluttering shut. He’s been doing this since his last year of high school, almost four years now, and he still can never get used to the wave of dopamine that hits his brain all at once, crashing over him and rendering him helpless. A noise escapes Donghyuck and Jaemin pauses, pulling his mouth away. 

 

“Do you want me to stop?” He asks hoarsely, and when Donghyuck opens his hazy eyes to look at him, he sees Jaemin staring at him, worry in his now brown eyes. Blood is dripping down his fangs, covering the lower part of his mouth, his chin. Donghyuck’s blood. 

 

“No, you’re fine.” Donghyuck sighs, tipping his head back against the wall. “You’ve got maybe another three minutes though.”

 

Jaemin makes a quiet noise of acknowledgement and bends back down over Donghyuck’s wrist. The next pull of blood makes Donghyuck shudder in pleasure, heat skittering up and down his spine as Jaemin keeps drinking. His toes curl in his sneakers and Donghyuck has to fight from letting out another whimper. He might sound like a junkie - and maybe he is, because four years of this haven’t been enough to make him stop - but there’s never been a better feeling Donghyuck’s come across than the feeling of a vampire draining his blood. 

 

Jaemin pulls off before Donghyuck even has to prompt him to, and Donghyuck shakily sits up, watching in quiet fascination as Jaemin licks over the wound, making it close up under the brush of his tongue. He shivers as Jaemin presses his mouth one last time to the freshly closed wound, looking up at Donghyuck through his eyelashes as he pulls away, carefully placing Donghyuck’s wrist back on the bed.

 

“So polite,” Donghyuck teases, though it sounds weak, his voice coming out as shaky as he feels. “There’s gatorade in that fridge over there, can you hand it to me?”

 

Jaemin nods jerkily, getting off the chair to the mini fridge located against the back wall of the room and hands a large bottle to Donghyuck. 

 

“Here,” Donghyuck says, handing Jaemin a pack of wipes in exchange for the bottle. “You’ve got blood all over your chin.”

 

Jaemin startles, wide eyed, and hastily takes the packet, wiping his chin off, slightly turned away from Donghyuck. Donghyuck takes a large gulp of the drink and leans back against the wall, trying to steady his breathing. The aftereffects of being bitten are never fun, and Donghyuck hates the toll it always wrecks on his body. 

 

“Thank you,” Jaemin says hoarsely, and when Donghyuck tilts his head back down to look at him, he sees Jaemin looking at him, eyes wide, his mouth clean. “Really. You don’t know what you’ve just given me.”

 

“It feels like I’ve just given you half a pint of my blood,” Donghyuck says, heaving himself off the bed with a groan. “But you’re very welcome. Feel free to come back at any time.”

 

“I will,” Jaemin says and he looks shy for the first time. “You were truly delicious.”

 

Donghyuck screws his face up. “I’ll take that as a compliment, weird as that is to hear.”

 

Jaemin shoots him a sweet smile and opens the door, letting Donghyuck go out in front of him. As Donghyuck waves him out the front door, he notices that Jaemin’s collar, white and stiff, has a spot of blood on it. 

 

🎴

 

“Please tell me you have food,” Donghyuck announces to thin air as he walks into their apartment a little after midnight. “I’m drained. Heh,  _ drained _ .”

 

“You’re not funny,” Renjun says from the couch where he’s peering at his laptop, glasses perched on the end of his nose. He looks adorably nerdy and it sends something warm and fond crashing over Donghyuck.

 

“I’m kind of funny,” Donghyuck refutes, heading to the kitchen to hunt for dinner. 

 

It’s only when he gets back, perching on the edge of the couch, that Renjun looks up from his work, eyes widening when he sees Donghyuck’s neck. “God,” Renjun hisses, his fingers hovering over the bite marks. “You look like a chew toy. How many times did you get bit tonight?”

 

Donghyuck winces as he arches his neck, the skin tugging painfully at the wounds. They might be closed up but they still hurt like hell. His skin tingles when Renjun’s touch lands on it and Donghyuck presses his lips together, hoping his expression is steady. “Three-four? I can’t remember.”

 

“That’s so dangerous, Donghyuck,” Renjun says, shocked, his fingers now carding through Donghyuck’s hair, pressing soothingly down on his scalp. “How do you have any blood left?”

 

Donghyuck smiles lazily, leaning into his touch. “I’m a machine.”

 

“No, you’re a human. A very fragile, breakable human, who cannot survive all his blood being drained.”

 

“It’s fine,” Donghyuck murmurs, eyes slipping closed. He doesn’t even feel hungry anymore, just wants to feel Renjun’s hands on his head. “The last one took very little.” A smile twitches onto his face as remembers Jaemin’s wide eyes. “He was cute too.”

 

Renjun hums. “Really?”   
  


Donghyuck grins. “A virgin too.”

 

Renjun exhales. “God. You’re going to kill them, Donghyuck.” His fingers slip down to trace over the twin wounds in his neck, one of many. “Or they’ll end up killing you.”

 

Donghyuck opens his eyes to find Renjun staring at him with an emotion Donghyuck can’t make out. “Only if they ask nicely,” he murmurs, heart pounding at their proximity, and Renjun’s eyes flash. 

 

“You’re an idiot,” he mutters, pulling away. “Go to bed. You’ve got class early tomorrow.”

 

Donghyuk frowns, confused at the sudden one-eighty. “Jun-ah.” The skin on his neck feels cold all of sudden, bereft. 

 

Renjun glances at him before looking back at his laptop, clearly intent on ignoring Donghyuck for the rest of the night. “Go to sleep, Donghyuck-ah.” 

 

Donghyuck trips off to his room, dinner left behind, feeling very much unbalanced and none of it having to do with his recent blood loss. 

 

🎴

 

Hot Asshole Vampire - Donghyuck had deemed him as such and the name had stuck in Renjun’s head - comes back Monday morning, looking much more alive than he had before, and apparently feeling a lot more apologetic. 

 

“I’m sorry about Thursday,” he says, tipping his sunglasses down and staring at Renjun with his large brown eyes. “I was very deprived of blood and I just needed some caffeine badly.”

 

Renjun eyes him as he stacks cups carefully. “That’s no excuse.”

 

Hot Asshole Vampire nods. “I agree. It really isn’t, and I’m sorry again.” 

 

Renjun purses his lips, giving in. He’s way too tired and still grumpy from his not-fight with Donghyuck last night to summon any energy to argue with this vampire. “Fine. What can I get you?”

 

HAV smiles, tipping his sunglasses back. “A large black coffee again, please?”

 

Renjun raises an eyebrow at him before turning around to the coffee machine. He wasn’t aware vampires could even drink coffee but this guy had downed a scary number of espresso shots a few days ago and he still looked disgustingly hale and hearty. “Sure.”

  
  


As soon as he leaves, long black coat swishing around the door before it shuts, Sicheng slides up next to him. “Well, that was unexpected,” he observes in that quiet way he has, packing more meaning into a few words than most people can in paragraphs of speech. 

 

“Hmm.” Renjun watches HAV’s back retreat down the sidewalk, his coat whipping dramatically in the wind. 

 

“Do you think he’ll be back?”

 

“God, I hope not,” Renjun mutters. “That hair gives me a headache.”

 

🎴

 

“Why do you look so tired?” Xiyeon asks as she pulls away from Donghyuck’s wrist, wiping her lips messily. The blood smears across the back of her hand and Donghyuck grimaces. 

 

“I do not,” he says, affronted. “I am an ethereal creature, fuck you.”

 

Xiyeon bares bloody fangs at him. “I could rip out your throat.” She says, walking to the fridge and tossing a bottle of orange juice at Donghyuck. “You  _ do _ look tired. Your eye bags have only gotten deeper.” Her fingers come up to trace under Donghyuck’s cheeks, and Donghyuck flinches at her cold touch. “I could fit half a grocery store in there.”

 

He sighs, leaning back against the wall. “I’ve got midterms coming up and I’ve got no time to study. My whole day is spent at class and my nights are here.”

 

Xiyeon raises an eyebrow at him. “You could take a break.”

 

Donghyuck snorts. “Yeah, that’s not an option. I can’t afford my nice apartment without this job.” His apartment is far from nice. In truth, it’s a massive shithole. But he and Renjun had put far too much work into making it a livable place - Renjun attacking the problem by buying up all the small plants in the area and placing them around the house - for Donghyuck to give up on it now.

 

“Well, I can’t help you there, Duckie.” Xiyeon sighs, ruffling his hair. “Sorry.”

 

Donghyuck shrugs. “It’s fine. What are a few eyebags going to do me. Kill me?”

 

“You know,” Xiyeon drawls, fluffing her bangs up in the mirror and nodding approvingly at herself before heading to the door. “You shouldn’t really be that glib about death around vampires.”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Donghyuck waves her off. “See you next week, Xiyeon.”

 

The door shuts behind her and Donghyuck flops back on the bed, staring up at the ceiling. His eyes droop for a second and he desperately wishes he could fall asleep, right there, right then. There’s ten seconds of silence during which Donghyuck closes his eyes and takes deep breaths, trying to catch an infinitesimal power nap in the time between clients. All too soon, there’s a knock on the door, and Donghyuck sits up with a sigh. 

 

Time to get back to work.  

 

🎴

 

The white lights are harsh and flickering and Donghyuck winces, drawing his hood over his head. The lights burn against his retinas and he desperately wishes he could go home. There’s nothing more he wants now than to just collapse into bed and let sleep take him. Even if it’s just for a few hours. 

 

The grocery store is empty save for the clerk at the front, and Donghyuck takes his time, sluggishly moving through the aisles and picking up items. Renjun had stuck their grocery list on the fridge a couple days ago, and when he’d caught Donghyuck looking at it, had very firmly said he’d take care of it. But Donghyuck had just felt immensely guilty looking at his dark circles and his tired smile and he’d sworn to himself, no matter how exhausted he was, he’d do something,  _ anything _ , to pick up the slack, to help Renjun out. 

 

Even if it was just a stupid little thing like buying their groceries. 

 

Donghyuck hesitates as he nears the checkout, eyes catching on a packet of chips he knows are Renjun’s favourite. Their budgets are tight, almost no room for stretching, but Donghyuck plucks them off the shelf and drops it in the basket. At least one little good thing. It was the least Donghyuck could do, being the drag that he was. 

 

“Fancy seeing you here.”

 

Donghyuck jerks, basket dropping from his hand, but before it can hit the floor - which would have been disastrous given that he’d had eggs at the bottom of the basket - Jaemin’s hand shoots out and catches it. “You scared the shit out of me,” Donghyuck breathes, heart hammering at Jaemin’s sudden appearance. His pink hair shines oddly against the harsh lights and he cuts an intimidating figure in the long black coat drawn around his frame.

 

“Sorry,” Jaemin grins, holding the basket out of reach when Donghyuck tries to take it, and makes his way down the aisle, forcing Donghyuck to walk with him, lest he lose his groceries. “I didn’t think you’d scare that easy.”

 

“Well, I did.” Donghyuck mumbles, turning to the left as Jaemin makes to go straight. “Wait, I need to get apples.”

 

Jaemin follows him, obediently holding the basket out as Donghyuck drops apples into it. “Shopping at two am,” he says. “Are you sure you’re not nocturnal?”

 

“I might as well be,” Donghyuck says, sighing. “I think I spend half my life awake at night, now.”

 

“Sounds hard,” Jaemin says, and when Donghyuck shoots a look at him, sure he’s being made fun of, he finds Jaemin seriously looking down at him, eyes heavy and worried. 

 

“It is what it is,” Donghyuck says, taking the basket from Jaemin’s hand and setting it on the conveyor belt as they reach the counter. “Not much I can do about it.”

 

Jaemin holds out his credit card, a little black and gold thing, to the cashier before Donghyuck can even move and Donghyuck starts. 

 

“No, wait!” He yelps at the tired clerk, who just blinks at him in exhaustion. Donghyuck fumbles for his wallet. “I’m paying.”

 

“Please take this,” Jaemin says, smiling charmingly at the clerk, before turning to Donghyuck. “It’s my treat.”

 

“It is not,” Donghyuck insists. “You’re my client. I don’t need you to pay-”

 

“But I want to,” Jaemin says, smile widening when the clerk sighs and takes his card. He turns to Donghyuck. “You’re the source of my life,  _ literally _ . So please, let me do this. I have too much money and no inclination to spend most of it.”

 

Donghyuck bites his lip to protest, but the clerk interrupts them with a droll. “Would you like your receipt?”

 

Donghyuck flushes, taking the receipt from him with a mumbled thanks and reaches for the bag, but Jaemin’s another step ahead of him, plucking the bag from the belt. 

 

The cool night is a welcome feeling on his warm cheeks and Donghyuck takes a grateful breath, letting the cool air fill his lungs. “I’ll pay you back,” he says, reaching for the bag only for Jaemin to move it out of his reach again. 

 

“I don’t want you to pay me back,” Jaemin says cheerfully, tucking his other hand into his coat. “I didn’t do it to be paid back.”

 

“I don’t like owing others.” 

 

Jaemin hums. “An admirable trait, certainly. But consider,” he shoots Donghyuck a brilliant smile. “You don’t owe me anything. Not when your blood is running through my veins at this very moment.”

 

Donghyuck stares at him, giving in. He’s far too tired to have this conversation and he can just figure out some way to fuck with the feeding center’s system so Jaemin doesn’t have to pay next time. “Fine. Thank you.” He holds his hand out. “Now can I have my bag back? I need to get home.”

 

“I’ll walk you home,” Jaemin says easily. When Donghyuck starts to protest, Jaemin presses a finger to his lips. “Uh uh uh. No arguing. It’s far too late for someone as…” His gaze sweeps up and down Donghyuck’s form, and Donghyuck flushes, and then blushes harder at blushing in the first place. “ _ Delectable _ as you to wander the streets alone.”

 

“I am not a piece of chocolate,” Donghyuck says incredulously, hating the fact that his cheeks start to fill with blood, warmth rushing through him. He will not let himself blush at this stupidly charming vampire. He refuses. “For you to call me delectable.”

 

“You certainly taste as delicious as I remember chocolate tasting,” Jaemin says, eyes wicked. “Now, come on.” He holds his elbow out for Donghyuck to take. “You’re clearly exhausted and I have a coffee date early tomorrow morning. Let’s get you home.”

 

Donghyuck stares at his elbow for a second before heaving a giant sigh and taking it. “You’re so annoying,” he says, gazing at the slick pavement, still half wet from that evening’s rain. 

 

Jaemin’s laugh rings in the empty street. “You’re not the first person to tell me that this week.”

 

🎴

 

“Why are you still here?” Renjun groans as he collapses into the couch at the back of the cafe during his break. 

 

HAV grins at him. “You’re fun to annoy,” he says happily. “Plus, I have no work to do today and the sight of your face makes me feel…” he leans forward, fangs flashing in the afternoon sun. “ _ Alive _ ”. 

 

“I thought blood was supposed to do that,” Renjun snipes. 

 

“Your face is much prettier than blood. Blood is all red and gross, your face is all pretty and pink.” HAV leans forward and mimics pinching Renjun’s cheek. 

 

“You can’t flirt with me when I don’t even know your name,” Renjun says, annoyed at the way his face heats up as he backs up, away from HAV’s reaching fingers. 

 

“I’m Jaemin,” HAV says. “ _ Now _ can I flirt with you?”

 

“No,” Renjun snaps, getting up off the couch. “I have to go back to work.”

 

“Hate to see you leave but love to watch you go,” Jaemin sings, and when Renjun turns to shoot him a glare, he sees Jaemin’s head cocked, eyes fixed blatantly on his ass.

 

🎴

 

“I’m worried about you.”

 

Donghyuck blinks in surprise at Renjun, who’s looking down at him from where he’s perched up on the counter, knees drawn up to his chest. He looks unbelievably tiny in a yellow hoodie, and something soft and warm curls up in Donghyuck’s chest at the sight. He pushes it away before it has a chance to root into his heart. “Why?” He asks, turning back to the pasta, carefully fishing a noodle out of the water and biting the end of it to check if it’s cooked.

 

“You’re not sleeping properly.”

 

Donghyuck smiles at him. “I’m sleeping fine,” he says quietly, dropping the noodle back in and turning to the sauce. “You don’t need to worry.”

 

“Your exams-”

 

“Are almost done,” Donghyuck cuts in gently. “And as soon as they’re done, I’ll get proper rest again. Promise.”

 

“You’ve never gotten proper rest in the first place,” Renjun says, and he drops his legs down so they’re dangling against the lower cabinets, reaching out and snagging Donghyuck’s collar. Donghyuck lets Renjun reel him in, resting his hands on either side of Renjun’s thighs, his fingers involuntarily twitching as they hit the cold counter. “Hyuck-ah,” Renjun whispers, cupping his jaw and sweeping his thumbs carefully under his eyes. Donghyuck’s eyes flutter shut at the touch and he leans into it, basking in the warmth of Renjun’s attention for a second before opening his eyes again. “You’re starting to look half-dead, like those vampires you’re always feeding.”

 

Donghyuck tries for a smile, but when it does nothing to ease the worried look in Renjun’s eyes, he sighs and lets it fade. According to Google, the act of smiling uses 43 muscles and Donghyuck’s far too tired these days to work them for too long. “It’s just a couple more days,” he sighs, letting his head drop against Renjun’s chest. He can hear Renjun’s heartbeat even through the thick fabric of the sweatshirt and it soothes him more than anything else that day had.

 

Renjun’s hands come up to cradle his head, gently scratching through his hair. “I wish you’d let me take care of you.”

 

“You already do,” Donghyuck mumbles, feeling sad and guilty. “Do any more and I’d be indebted to you for life. As if I’m not already.”

 

Renjun makes a noise of disagreement. “You don’t owe me anything,” he says, his thumbs sliding down Donghyuck’s neck, pressing there. Donghyuck feels the pressure in his neck melt away and his shoulders sag, falling harder against Renjun’s body, trusting him to hold him up. “I don’t lo- I don’t do things for you because I expect to be paid back.”

 

Donghyuck pulls back, peering up at him through his bangs. “Then why?”

 

Renjun stares back down at him, something far too complicated for Donghyuck’s tired brain to parse out flashing across his elven-like features. Donghyuck raises a finger and gently pushes Renjun’s glasses back up his nose while waiting for his response. Something tells him that this isn’t a conversation to be rushed; it feels far too delicate, like it’s almost about to tip off the edge, ready to crash towards the ground, about to shatter to pieces if held too hard. “Because you’re my best friend,” Renjun says finally, his voice hoarse and full of  _ something _ . 

 

Donghyuck’s breath catches in his lungs. It’s such a simple sentence, nothing in it to indicate a heart should stop beating, that oxygen should freeze in its path, but all of that happens to Donghyuck and more. 

 

Next to them, the water quietly bubbles on, providing the background soundtrack to the confusion rattling through Donghyuck’s mind. 

 

🎴

 

“Why are you back?” Renjun mumbles as someone sits down across from him. It’s eight in the morning on a Sunday, and so far there’s been a grand total of one person in the cafe. Sicheng hadn’t cared when Renjun had taken a seat at one of the tables by the counter, spreading his homework across the table. 

 

“How’d you know it was me?” Jaemin’s delight is evident in his voice. 

  
Renjun spares him a glance before turning back to his books. “Who else would turn up this early on a Sunday to bother me?” Jaemin had been routinely showing up for the past few months, hanging around the cafe like a particularly annoying cat, and Renjun had been reluctantly - completely against his own will - warming up to Jaemin. His overall demeanour was far too smiley for Renjun to be vitriolic against him for too long. 

 

“Whatcha doing?” Jaemin dragged his chair around to peer over Renjun’s arm, eyes widening at the chemical formulas. “You know, I used to know a guy who claimed he could turn coal into gold. That was forever ago though. Has that changed?”   
  


“That’s a myth,” Renjun says, amused despite himself. Jaemin’s eyes are bright and open as he turns Renjun’s textbook towards him and flips through the pages eagerly. Renjun blinks, finally taking in Jaemin’s words. “You  _ knew  _ a guy? How old are you?”

 

Jaemin grins up at him. “I’ll never tell,” he says sweetly. “You’ll run away screaming.”

 

“I already want to do that,” Renjun shoots back. 

 

“And yet, you haven’t.” Jaemin flips the textbook back to Renjun and taps at a diagram. “Explain what this means, please.”

 

Renjun lets out a huff through his nose but grudgingly starts talking, very determinedly not looking at Jaemin who’s propping his hands up on his chin, taking in his every word with wide, bright eyes.

 

🎴

 

“So,” Donghyuck says, dropping onto the couch. “How was work?”

 

“How was your exam?” Renjun shoots back, digging his foot under Donghyuck’s thigh until Donghyuck lifts his thigh for Renjun to slide his freezing feet under. “Don’t think I didn’t notice you staying up all night to study.”   
  


Donghyuck rolls his eyes, though even he can’t refute the exhaustion shooting through his body right now, making his limbs feel heavier and slower to move. “It went fine. I’m so glad the semester is almost done.” He waits until they’ve finished dinner, setting his empty bowl on the coffee table before nudging Renjun’s feet over and flopping his head down on his thighs, peering up at Renjun. He’s pushy with the affection, too much for new friends, but he and Renjun had known each other forever, long enough that Renjun hardly flinched when Donghyuck plastered himself to him. “Now, tell me how work was? Any updates on Hot Asshole?”

 

Renjun smiles all of a sudden and Donghyuck stares in quiet shock. His face transforms entirely, something warm and sweet settling into the curves of his cheeks and he looks… beautiful. “Not so much of an asshole, anymore.” 

 

Donghyuck tilts his head, trying to calm the hammering in his heart. “Really?”

 

Renjun nods, humming. “He kept showing up, like a stray cat,” he laughs a little. “He’s so  _ annoying _ and he drinks coffee like he needs it more than blood - honestly Hyuck-ah, like eight espresso shots in a day - but…” Renjun falters, smile growing, and something heavy slams down on Donghyuck’s chest. That look isn’t one Donghyuck has ever seen on him. (Except when it’s directed at him). And it hurts, just a little. “He’s  _ nice _ . And he keeps me company at work.”

 

“That’s-that’s good to hear,” Donghyuck says faintly. “You work too hard to have assholes bothering you at every turn.”

 

Renjun grins fondly down at him and smooths over Donghyuck’s hair with his hand. “Yeah,” he says. “He’s great. But I can never tell him that,” he snorts. “His already massive ego would totally burst.”

 

Donghyuck summons a smile as Renjun giggles, turning back to the TV which had been playing faintly in the background the whole time. Donghyuck takes a shaky breath and turns his face into Renjun’s stomach, breathing deeply. Renjun deserves to have something good in his life. Something more than coming home to Donghyuck and his perpetual exhaustion every day. And if some vampire is enough to make him happy, Donghyuck would rather die than intrude on that. 

 

Renjun’s hand smooths down his back and Donghyuck swallows around the sudden lump in his throat. He closes his eyes and they burn. Donghyuck wonders briefly if this is what it feels like to truly ache for someone you know you won’t ever deserve. 

 

🎴

 

Jaemin’s watching Renjun when he finally looks up from his work, angrily slamming the lid over the cup of coffee and sliding it down the bar to Sicheng who quietly calls the names out, his voice surprisingly loud over the din. 

 

“It’s his job though, isn’t it?” Jaemins hums in quiet question, hands propped up on his chin as he watches Renjun fill another order. “It’s not as if there’s a negative stigma anymore to feeder clinics. They’re seen like blood donors, in a morbidly twisted kind of way.”

 

“It’s killing him,” Renjun snaps, feeling his cheeks flush with frustration as he remembers looking down at Donghyuck’s lackluster features last weekend. Remembers feeling the unyielding press of his cheekbones standing out against his skin. Remembers tracing over the bruises left by countless strangers on his neck. (Remembers seeing Donghyuck’s expression melt into something like twisted contentment as he shivered under Renjun’s fingers sweeping across his scars.)

 

“He works too hard for too little,” Renjun sighs, capping another coffee and sliding it down to Sicheng before turning around to the espresso machine to finish one more order.

 

There’s silence from Jaemin, and Renjun takes his time finishing up the work before he turns back around to meet Jaemin’s knowing gaze. 

 

“What?” Renjun asks shortly, gesturing at Jaemin to move over so that the crowd of customers can press a little closer to the counter. 

 

Jaemin hums, clearly thinking. “We’ve had so many conversations these past few months, Renjun-ah. So many enlightening, thoughtful,  _ deep _ conversations.”

 

Renjun rolls his eyes. “What’s your point?”

 

“My point is,” Jaemin presses, leaning a little closer to Renjun. “These conversations always come back to your roommate.”

 

Renjun narrows his eyes at him, hoping his face doesn’t outwardly betray any of his feelings. “So?”

 

“ _ So,  _ in the course of our deeply mutually beneficial relationship, I’ve heard you talk a lot about your roommate.” He pauses, letting Renjun stew in that for a second before tilting his head and looking at him with earnest eyes. “And you talk about him like you’re in love with him.”

 

Renjun freezes. In the course of those few seconds, where Jaemin had cleanly dug around in his soul and plucked out the very thing that Renjun wanted hidden, the world seems to slow down around him. The rush of people come to a standstill and all Renjun can make out is Jaemin’s brown eyes, sparkling at him, irritatingly knowledgeable and far too kind for Renjun to actually hate him.

 

Then Renjun blinks, and the world rushes back into full motion. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says shortly, turning back around to the machines before realising he doesn’t actually have anything to do, but he’ll be damned if he goes back to Jaemin’s probing questions and annoying smile. 

 

“Are you?” Jaemin asks gently, and Renjun heaves a breath, staring at the silver gleam of the machine for a while longer. His reflection, warped and overly bright, stares back at him, and in that brief moment, Renjun, down to his very bones, viscerally,  _ painfully, _ misses Donghyuck. It’s an irrational feeling, given that he’d seen him before leaving for work that morning, but in the warmth and bustle of the coffee shop, with no one but strangers and Jaemin around, Renjun desperately wants Donghyuck near him, if only for a second. If only to press a sweet kiss to the curve of Renjun’s cheek and light up his world all over again. 

 

Renjun takes another breath before turning back to Jaemin. “What?”

 

“Are you in love with him?”

 

“That’s none of your business.”

 

Jaemin’s smile is sharp and knowing, his fangs curving over his bottom lip. It’s weirdly attractive, and Renjun has to take a second to rearrange his thoughts. “Ah, so you are,” Jaemin says knowingly. 

 

Renjun glowers at him. “Get out.”

 

“No,” Jaemin says brightly. “I think I’m going to stay right here, and watch you be in love.”

 

Renjun’s flush stays with him all through his shift, and so does Jaemin. 

 

🎴

 

Donghyuck isn’t surprised to see Jaemin in the waiting room again when he arrives for his shift. Ten’s leaning by the door to their office, clutching a cigarette in his hand. 

 

“Loverboy’s been waiting for you,” Ten says, and Donghyuck raises an eyebrow at Jaemin who flushes. 

 

“I’m - I wasn’t waiting for- I’m just here-”

 

“Yeah, yeah,” Donghyuck sighs, waving at Jaemin to follow him to the back rooms. “I know my blood’s delicious, come along.” He almost stumbles over his own feet and has to catch himself against the wall, scrunching his eyes together to push away the black spots dancing all over his vision. 

 

“Are you okay?” Jaemin asks, immediately coming up to steady him. His hands are cool, even through the fabric of Donghyuck’s thick jean button down and Donghyuck lets the sudden temperature change ground him, focusing in on it before pushing himself off the wall. 

 

“I’m fine,” he says. “Just tired.”

 

Jaemin moves up to his side, glancing at him. “Should you even be doing this then? Exhaustion can take its toll on you, Hyuck.”

 

Donghyuck snorts, though the nickname leaves something warm spreading through him. “Would you feed from anyone else here?” He asks, pushing open the door and leaning against it so Jaemin can enter first. 

 

Jaemin pauses in the threshold, gazing at him with intense eyes. They were still brown, the bloodlust not taking over them yet. “No,” he says quietly. “I think I’ve become far too fond of you to go back to strangers. But,” he moves forward, not pinning Donghyuck there, but certainly not giving him much room to move otherwise. “I would also prefer no harm to come to you. Especially if I caused it.”

 

Donghyuck blinks. “Fond of me,” he echoes, a smile curling over his mouth despite his heart beat kicking up several notches under Jaemin’s gaze. “Is that the vampire way of telling me you’d like to take me out?”

 

Jaemin smirks. “Oh, Donghyuck,” he says easily, moving forward. His chest brushes against Donghyuck’s with every useless breath he takes, and Donghyuck finds himself unconsciously moving forward, head tipping upwards. “If I wanted to wine and dine you, I would make sure to tell you in absolutely  _ explicit  _ terms.” 

 

Donghyuck’s breath stutters and Jaemin’s eyes sharpen in delight. “Blood,” Donghyuck blurts into the silence. “You came here for blood.”

 

“Indeed,” Jaemin agrees, moving back as Donghyuck shuts the door behind him. “Blood. Though I was wondering, if tonight,” he hesitates, tongue curling around the front of one fang, clearly trying to decide his next words. 

 

“You know you can ask for whatever, right?”  Donghyuck says with a frown. “If I don’t want to do it, you’ll know. You’ve been here so many times already, haven’t you gotten used to a feeding center yet?”

 

“It’s not that,” Jaemin murmurs, sinking into the chair and watching Donghyuck as he shrugs his coat off. “I just - this time, can I feed from your neck?”

 

Donghyuck can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of him. It’s refreshing to see a vampire as odd as Jaemin hesitant around him for once. “You wanna drink from my neck?” He asks, unwinding his scarf and smirking to himself when he sees Jaemin’s eyes snap to his neck. The flip in their dynamic escapes neither of them, and Donghyuck finds he quite likes being on the other side of the equation.

 

Jaemin swallows. “Yes, if you’re okay with that. Please.”

 

“I think you might be the most polite vampire I’ve ever met,” Donghyuck says thoughtfully, grabbing the can of spray and placing it on the bed as he gets on himself. Jaemin might be nice and all, but Donghyuck’s been around far too many vampires to let his guard down. “Or the most awkward. I can’t decide.”

 

Jaemin huffs out a laugh. “I’m only like this around you,” he says, hesitantly placing a hand on the bed Donghyuck’s seared on. “God knows why.”

 

Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “It’s because you’re a weirdly intense vampire who’s obsessed with my blood.” He pats the bed. “Now get on, or were you planning on getting teeth implants and biting me from three feet away, or…?”

 

Jaemin snorts, rubbing a hand over his neck as he slides on the bed. “How-”

 

“Oh, for pity’s sake,” Donghyuck says, too impatient to wait for Jaemin to stutter through the rest of his sentence, and places both his hands on Jaemin’s shoulders, pushing his back up against the wall before throwing a leg over his thighs and straddling his legs. “There,” Donghyuck says easily, tilting his neck sideways. “Best access.” His head spins for a second but Donghyuck forces himself to steady. He can’t afford to lose his best client. Not when the rent’s due in a week.

 

“Oh,” Jaemin exhales, and when Donghyuck glances down at him in curiosity, he finds Jaemin’s eyes flooding a blood red, fixated on his jumping pulse. 

 

“Be careful,” Donghyuck reminds him, one hand closing around the garlic spray. “I lose blood a lot quicker up here.” 

 

“Yeah, okay.” He can feel Jaemin’s breath wash over his neck and one of Jaemin’s hands - cold and firm - come up to cup the back of his head, tipping it sideways.  He doesn’t understand why a vampire has to go through the motions of breathing, but it seems that it’s a tic unique to Jaemin. None of Donghyuck’s other clients do it. There’s another exhale, one beat, two, three, and then Jaemin’s biting him. 

 

Donghyuck gasps before promptly sinking his teeth into his bottom lip to stop from crying out loud. It always hurts more on his neck than it does his wrist, and Jaemin bites especially hard. “Fuck,” he bites out, his free hand clutching onto Jaemin’s shoulder. 

 

Jaemin makes a noise that sounds like an apology but he doesn’t draw away. Instead, his other hand comes up to hold Donghyuck’s waist, pulling him closer. Just as always, the pain melds into pleasure and Donghyuck can feel his body sagging in Jaemin’s hold, his eyes fluttering shut under the beautiful feeling of his blood being drained from his body. 

 

It’s sort of like flirting with death, what Donghyuck does. Every night he comes here, lets a monster feed off his life source, and sometimes he lets them take a little more than they should because addiction is a dangerous thing, and Donghyuck can’t help but always think - in the throes of endorphins rushing through his body - if death would be worth that final bliss. It feels like that with Jaemin tonight; the ever present threat of death looming closer, but this time Donghyuck can’t seem to fight it off. It feels too  _ good _ not to. 

 

Jaemin’s teeth sink in deeper and Donghyuck  _ whimpers _ . Truly whimpers, a soft desperate noise ripping out of the back of his throat as pleasure rushes up his body, making his pants feel all too tight all of a sudden. Jaemin’s hand tightens around his body and yanks him closer, and Donghyuck’s eyes roll back in his head. His fingers go lax and the spray slips out of his hold and clatters to the floor. 

 

In that second, that brief snatch of time, Donghyuck suddenly realises how dangerous this is. He’s exhausted, mentally, physically, to the point that he can’t even grip things in his hands. And there’s a vampire, a predator, at his neck, drinking his blood. He shouldn’t have come into work tonight. Because all of a sudden there’s a very good chance he won’t make it out of here alive.

 

The clang of metal against the concrete makes Jaemin pull away, and Donghyuck can’t even hold his head up, lets it fall sideways, and takes a shallow breath. Somehow he realises, even in his muddled state, that falling asleep would be very bad right now.

 

“Donghyuck?” Jaemin ducks to meet his gaze and Donghyuck, through his half-open eyes sees the worry that flashes in them. “Shit,” Jaemin hisses, moving back to the wound and closing it up. Donghyuck can’t help a quiet whine slip out at the small flush of arousal that runs through him when Jaemin’s tongue lands on his skin, licking up the trailing tracks of blood down his throat, despite the danger he’s very clearly in. “Why didn’t you stop me?”

 

“Felt good,” Donghyuck slurs, and suddenly the world is tipping sideways. Is he falling off the bed? Donghyuck braces for impact before he realises Jaemin has laid him down on the bed, carefully cradling his head until it hits the pillow. 

 

“Donghyuck, stay awake, okay?” Jaemin says frantically. “I’m going to get Ten. _Do not_ _close your eyes.”_

 

Donghyuck peels his eyes open and gives a moan of agreement as Jaemin yanks open the door, the metal groaning under his hand before he takes off. 

 

The rest is all a haze. It’s like he’s underwater, all the sounds coming at him murky and muffled. Ten yells at him for a while but Donghyuck doesn’t bother making it out. Figures move in his peripheral vision but Donghyuck can’t identify any of them. Phrases like  _ doesn’t need transfusion  _ and  _ fuck, Renjun-  _ float by him and Donghyuck lets his eyes close, finally.

 

Renjun’s coming. Renjun’s going to be here and that means he’ll be okay. The darkness takes him, and it feels like Donghyuck’s falling backwards into the black. He welcomes it. Maybe this time he’ll get some rest.

 

🎴

 

“It’s your fault!” Renjun growls, lunging forward. “You brought him into this and now you’re going to be the reason he dies!”

 

Ten groans, clutching his bleeding nose in his hands. “You can’t blame me for this,” he snaps, nodding to Donghyuck’s prone form. “This is all because he’s way too desperate for money that he doesn’t screen his clients.”

 

Renjun lunges again, ready to strangle Ten, but before he can reach, arms wrap around his waist and yank him backwards. Ten takes the small reprieve as a chance to escape, slamming the door behind him. “Renjun,” Jaemin gasps, because  _ Jaemin’s  _ here.  _ Jaemin’s  _ been the one feeding off Donghyuck all these months. “It’s not his fault. It’s mine, if you want anyone to blame, blame me. I’m the one that took too much.”

 

Renjun twists in his hold and glares at him. “I  _ do _ blame you,” he spits, eyes locking onto Jaemin’s jaw, still covered in blood. Donghyuck’s blood. “You’ve been a vampire for  _ how _ long now? Shouldn’t you know when to stop?”

 

“He didn’t stop me,” Jaemin says, his hold iron-tight, leaving no room for Renjun to struggle. “If I hadn’t pulled off when I did…” He trails off, eyes full of worry, but Renjun doesn’t want to see it. Doesn’t want to see Jaemin’s pity, doesn’t want to let himself succumb to Jaemin’s logic, his kindness. Because that’s his best friend on the bed, that’s  _ Donghyuck _ .  _ His  _ Donghyuck. And all Renjun wants at that moment is to have Donghyuck be okay. 

 

“Junnie,” Jaemin says as he pulls up the chair and guides Renjun onto it. “He’s going to be okay. It’s just exhaustion,” his face twists into a grimace. “Mixed with a lot of blood loss.”

 

“He’s an idiot,” Renjun says, dropping his head onto the bed by Donghyuck’s still arm. The bite marks on his wrist stand out stark against his skin, raised and mottled, and Renjun aches to press down on them, make them disappear with the force of his touch. He tips his head sideways to glare at Jaemin. “I can't believe you didn’t tell me.”

 

Jaemin raises an eyebrow. “That I knew him? I didn’t know either. It’s not like we ever met each other outside the clinic, and how was I supposed to know that your dumbass roommate was my dumbass feeder?” He tilts his head at Donghyuck’s body. “It’s not an easy connection to make.”

 

Renjun sighs, feeling all the fight leave him. “I hate him,” he whispers, turning his face back into the bed. “I hate that he risks his life like this.”

 

Jaemin hums, and his hand tentatively lands in Renjun’s hair. When Renjun doesn’t protest, his fingers carefully start stroking, gently. “If it helps, it’s not a risk when it’s just one.”

 

Renjun makes a questioning sound, too tired to lift up his head. It’s inching towards two am now, and he’s got to be back at the cafe in four hours. 

 

“More vampires mean more viruses,” Jaemin explains, settling against the bed, his hand running soothingly down Renjun’s arm. “More bites means more for the body to take on, that’s what’s made him so weak.”

 

“Oh.” Renjun isn’t energised enough to summon more words, but Jaemin seems to get the message.

 

“Don’t be scared,” Jaemin murmurs. “It’ll be okay, Junnie.”

 

Renjun finally picks up his head, muscles aching from the stress. “Can you promise that?” He asks archly.

 

Jaemin meets his eyes squarely, and leans closer. “As much as I am able,” he says, his fingers encircling Renjun’s wrist and pressing into the spot where his pulse jumps. Renjun’s heart stutters and by the flash in Jaemin’s eyes, he hears it. “As much as I am able,” Jaemin repeats lowly. “I promise you, I’ll take care of you. Both of you.”

 

Renjun stares up at him, suddenly realising something. Realising that he was far too small, his chest far too tiny, to hold this much affection for two people. Realising that something had to give soon or they’d all - all three of them - implode.

  
  


🎴

 

“I can’t believe I’ve never visited you at work in the morning,” Donghyuck says brightly, perched up on one of the bar stools by the counter. “It’s so quiet and warm.”

 

“That’s because you’re usually passed out from extreme blood loss from the night before,” Renjun snaps, slamming down a new milk carton and turning away, but not without throwing one last dark look at Donghyuck’s bandaged neck, the white plaster standing out starkly against his tan skin. 

 

Donghyuck winces. Ever since that night, he’d been forced on leave by both Ten and Renjun. After Donghyuck had woken up, seeing Renjun’s pale face, his lips bitten beyond relief, the worry tattooed across his every feature, he hadn’t disagreed. Renjun’s fear had been too much of a deterrent to argue otherwise. Despite the agreement, Renjun had maintained a frosty manner around Donghyuck. He’d avoided Donghyuck’s reaching touches, ignored his attempts at striking up conversation, and had left Donghyuck in silence. Left him to deal with the fact that Jaemin and Renjun had known each other as long as he and Jaemin had, and that over the course of one night, both of his worlds had collided. 

 

The other half of his world announces his arrival with the merry jangle of the cafe door, the bell jangling around as it swings open. 

 

“ _ Renjunnie _ ,” Jaemin sings happily, prancing up to the counter. “One very large coffee, extra black, extra hot.”

 

“You’re chipper,” Renjun says, turning around, and Donghyuck witnesses, for the first time since a fortnight ago, his face lightening. It sends something shooting painfully inside his chest and he redirects his gaze, choosing to observe his hands instead. 

 

“Well,” Jaemin drawls, hopping up on the barstool next to Donghyuck and nudging him with an elbow. “I’ve had a rather large influx of blood in the last week and it’s had its… positive effects.”

 

“As well as nearly killing me,” Donghyuck chimes in. He realises how idiotic of a thing it is to say when Renjun’s face darkens. Somehow, at the same time, the clouds outside drift over the sun, dramatically darkening the world, as if someone had drawn the blinds over the window.

 

“Don’t joke about that,” he snaps, grabbing a large empty cup and scribbling Jaemin’s name on it. 

 

“It was an accident,” Jaemin says softly. “Don’t get mad at him.”

 

Donghyuck looks up as Renjun pushes Jaemin’s order toward him. “That’s not your call,” Renjun bites out, but something in his tone softens and Jaemin sends him a sweet smile as he stabs a straw into the top of the cup and takes a sip.

 

Donghyuck clears his throat. “Renjun-”

 

“I’ve got work to do,” Renjun says, not looking at Donghyuck. “A lot of it.”

 

The dismissal is clear and silence falls. Donghyuck looks back down at his hands, and takes a shaky breath. “Right,” he says, and hates that his voice wobbles perceptibly. How does it take just a few words from Renjun to make him feel all twisted, as if his internal organs had been wrung inside out and he was left exposed to the harshness of the world. “Okay. I’ll uh - I’ll see you at home - I guess.” Out of the corner of his eye, he sees Jaemin wince, his hand reaching for Donghyuck’s. Donghyuck jerks away, shaking his head. He doesn’t want pity, doesn’t think he can handle it in the face of Renjun’s iciness.

 

“Bye,” Renjun mumbles and Donghyuck shoots out of his chair, rushing out onto the street before he can start crying in front of his best friend and the vampire he very clearly likes better. 

 

🎴

 

Donghyuck isn’t the type of person to wallow. He hates spending more time on himself and his intrusive thoughts than he has to. But there was something awful about watching Renjun smile for the first time in two weeks and have it not be directed at him. He understands though. Why would Renjun choose him, or even give him the time of day, when he has a beautiful, clearly rich, sweet  _ vampire _ ready to be at his side all the time? Donghyuck’s not very useful in the grand scheme of things - he can cook a maximum number of three items with medium proficiency - and he makes shit coffee, which is Renjun’s lifeblood. 

 

Donghyuck closes his eyes. He can still remember, can still trace out every detail of Renjun’s face when he’d told Donghyuck to stop chasing death as if it was the last thing that would ever give him pleasure. They were cruel words, delivered helplessly, desperately, Renjun clutching Donghyuck’s hands so tightly it felt like he’d cut off his blood supply, but Donghyuck had needed to hear them and they’d both known that. 

 

Why would Renjun even need him? When he could do so much better?

 

As if by some ironic act by the universe, Adele comes on shuffle next and Donghyuck stares at his grey wall, biting his lip furiously to not make a sound before drawing the blankets over his head and curling underneath them, wondering where, in all the stretch of his inane life, he’d gone wrong to end up like this. To end up so painfully beholden to the words of one person. To be so entrenched in them, it hurt when they didn’t even deign to look in his direction. The wounds on his neck throb in time to the bass of Adele’s voice, singing like there’s no tomorrow.

 

Donghyuck sniffs, and curls into himself tighter. Hopefully by the time the tears start, he’ll be too far into the dark for it to matter. 

 

🎴

 

It’s been almost a month since that night. That horrible, horrible night when Renjun had rushed down to the city, at sometime past one am, to find his - to find  _ Donghyuck _ , unconscious on the table, his whole face scarily pale and the wound on his neck dripping blood, the scarlet lines curving down to the back of his head, pooling on the ugly blue of the bedsheets. 

 

It’s been almost a month since Renjun nearly beat the shit out of Ten. He remembers, with a rush of shame, how he’d slammed his fist into Ten’s nose. (It’d felt unbelievably cathartic, but Renjun wasn’t about to mention that to anyone.)

 

It’s been almost a month since he has spoken more than a couple words at a time to Donghyuck, and of all of the things Renjun’s done to keep his distance, seeing Donghyuck’s hurt face every time Renjun shuts him down, aches the most. But Renjun’s not sure what else to do. He doesn’t think he can look at Donghyuck without getting angry all over again, for being so reckless, for being okay with throwing away his life so easily. 

 

“Aren’t you being a bit hypocritical?” Jaemin cuts across Renjun’s internal ranting. They’re sitting in the campus library, Renjun surrounded by his textbooks, and Jaemin leafing through a massive book about European history, idly pointing out the mistakes. Summer break was almost upon him and with one exam left, Renjun could almost taste it. It didn’t help his mood that Donghyuck had finished his exams a week ago and had spent the following days curled up on their couch and watching Renjun move around the apartment with big eyes. It wasn’t very Donghyuck-like behaviour but it wasn’t very Renjun-like to ignore him for a month, so Renjun had allowed him the transgression, despite the fact that it was annoying as hell. 

 

Renjun looks up with a narrowed gaze. “About?”

 

Jaemin shrugs, flipping a page with a long finger. “Talking to me when you insist on ignoring Donghyuck.” 

 

Renjun stares at him for a beat longer before slumping in his chair. “I don’t know,” he says quietly. “I don’t have an explanation but it’s just- I’m furious at him for risking his life but I can’t seem to be mad at you as well.”

 

Jaemin considers this, watching Renjun with those irritatingly knowing eyes. “Well, maybe you’re finally warming up to me,” he says, a cocky smile forming. “You’ve decided you can’t live without me.”

 

Renjun rolls his eyes. “Go away,” he says. “I’ve got to study and you’re just distracting me with your dumb questions and your-” he waves a hand in Jaemin’s general direction. 

 

Jaemin laughs softly and shuts his book. “Fine, I’ll leave you alone now.” He stands, pushing in his chair, and Renjun thinks he’s left when he hears a “Renjun.”

 

Renjun hums and look up to see Jaemin looming over him. Renjun jumps, not expecting their proximity. “Oh my god,  _ what _ ?”

 

Jaemin gazes at him before gently brushing a kiss over Renjun’s cheek. His lips are warm, and Renjun flinches, not expecting it. “Don’t be mad at him for too long, okay?” Jaemin whispers. “I’ve been around long enough to know that loves like that are very rare.”

 

Renjun stares at him, shell-shocked into silence, as Jaemin offers him one last soft smile before exiting the library. 

 

🎴

 

Donghyuck almost doesn’t hear the knock on the door. He’s got Mitski blasting from the portable speaker Renjun bought him almost two years ago as he washes the dishes. There’s another knock, a little louder, and Donghyuck frowns, cocking his ear. He elbows the stop button on the speaker and hurriedly washes off his hands. 

 

His heart stops a little when the door swings open to reveal Jaemin, in a long black coat, leaning against the door jamb. Somehow his hair has lost none of its vibrancy despite the time that had passed. 

 

“Renjun isn’t here,” Donghyuck says quietly, drying off his hands on the hand towel and tucking the end of it into his back pocket. “I don’t know where he is, if you’re looking for him.”

 

“He’s at the library,” Jaemin says. “Can I come in?”

 

Donghyuck shrugs. “I guess,” he says, closing his eyes when Jaemin brushes past him and the wound on his neck tingles as if it recognises him, despite being healed. “What are you doing here?”

 

“Well, you haven’t been to the center in a while,” Jaemin says, dropping down on the couch, coat hanging on the side. “I missed you.”   
  


“Really?” Donghyuck arches an eyebrow, following him and tossing the towel on the counter as he passes the kitchen. “I thought Renjun got you in the divorce.”

 

“That’s not funny.”   
  


“I think it’s a little funny,” Donghyuck disagrees, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch, and tucking his legs against his chest. “Seriously, what are you doing here, Jaemin?”   
  


Jaemin’s expression shifts, and he rummages in his coat, hand emerging with a white envelope. “I came to give you this.”

 

Donghyuck warily takes it. “What is this?” He slides the contents out, eyes widening when he sees a check. A check with a  _ lot _ of numbers on it. “Jaemin-”

 

“It’s just the money you would have earned if, you know, I hadn’t drained you unconscious. Nothing more,” Jaemin interrupts, leaning forward. “Seriously, you have to take it.”

 

“I  _ can’t _ ,” Donghyuck says, pushing the envelope back at him. “What is it with you and giving me money all the time?”

 

A wry smile springs up on Jaemin’s face. “I can’t help it, you make me want to take care of you.”

 

Donghyuck fights the blush that rises on his face and shoves the envelope at Jaemin. “Stop it, I’m not taking your money. And  _ stop  _ flirting with me.”

 

“Never,” Jaemin promises. “Take the money, please. You know I’ll just find a way to put it into your bank account anyway.”

 

Donghyuck’s jaw clenches but he can’t seem to dredge up anything else other than a faint sense of exasperation and fondness. It’s irritating how he can seem to be anything but mad at Jaemin. “You’re infuriating.”   
  


“So I’ve been told.” Jaemin shrugs. “Plus, it’s my fault you ended up like this anyway.”

 

“If anything you saved me,” Donghyuck insists, frowning. “You’re the one who  _ stopped _ .”

 

“Yes,” Jaemin’s expression drops into something a little more serious. “Because you didn’t stop me. Because you said it felt too good.”

 

Donghyuck blinks, stunned. He remembers exactly what he’d said. Donghyuck already knows he has issues and he doesn’t need them tossed in his face again.  “I’m-”

 

“I’m not in the position to tell you what to do at all,” Jaemin says, quietly. “But Hyuck, please, put a little more care into your life. Into how you’re ruining it.”

 

Donghyuck looks away. “I can’t do that,” he says quietly. “I’m going to go back soon, probably next week.”

 

“Hyuck, you  _ can’t- _ ”

 

“You don’t get it,” Donghyuck snaps, and then immediately flushes when he realises Jaemin recoils. “I’m  _ sorry _ , but you don’t get it, okay? I’ve been watching Ren-“ he chokes on Renjun’s name. “-  _ him _ run himself ragged these past few weeks at the cafe and at classes, and studying for his exams, and he’s  _ exhausted _ , and I can’t do that to him, I can’t let him kill himself just to take care of  _ me _ .”

 

“But you’re going to kill yourself.” Jaemin shoots back, but there’s something achingly raw and painful in his expression and it hurts Donghyuck to look at it. “And then neither of you will be happy.”

 

“But I don’t know what else to do!” Donghyuck cries, and he realises in horror his eyes are burning with the threat of tears  _ again _ . “I have to go back because it’s the only place that pays me well enough to keep this apartment and to keep- I can’t lose him, Jaemin- I-”

 

“Oh, Hyuck,” Jaemin murmurs and gently gathers Donghyuck into his arms. Donghyuck goes, despite the shame that wells up in him at having to be coddled. “It’s going to be okay, I promise.” He hesitates, drawing a breath, and Donghyuck pulls away to blink up at him. “I could - I meant it when I said I’d take care of you - your blood - I could pay you.”

 

Donghyuck stares at him open-mouthed. “No,” he breathes, shaking his head immediately. “Jaemin, no,  _ no _ , I could never. I can’t- I  _ won’t  _ become someone’s charity case.”

 

“It’s not charity,” Jaemin pleads. “It’s - look, I have so much money, more than I know what to do with, and I lo- I care for you -  _ both _ of you - and I’d hate it if I stood by and did nothing when I could have helped.” He grabs Donghyuck’s hands. “It’s not charity, and you know one vampire is better than multiple.”

 

“But I don’t  _ need _ it,” Donghyuck snaps, shame and anger roiling in him. “I’d rather suffer than take your money.”

 

“And what if you die?” Jaemin snaps back. “What do you think that’ll do to Renjun?”

 

“Then I die,” Donghyuck shrugs. “It’s not as if it matters when he hasn’t talked to me in weeks. He’s better off without me anyway.”

 

“Are you fucking insane?” Jaemin growls, fangs sliding out in his anger. It’s the first time Donghyuck’s seen him mad in the entire time he’s known him and he flinches, suddenly realising that he has a half angry vampire across the couch from him. “Do you know what it did to him? Seeing you on that stupid bed, half dead? You were unconscious, Hyuck. You didn’t see him- you-” Jaemin takes a breath and seems to visibly reel himself in. “You can’t go back. You’ll kill him while killing yourself.”

 

Donghyuck snorts, leaning back against the couch. “Efficient though, isn’t it.”

 

Jaemin shoots him a stony look and Donghyuck purses his lips. “I’m- Jaemin, I can’t take your money. I’ll lose the last bit of self respect I have for myself.”

 

“Fine,” Jaemin takes a breath. “Fine, here’s what we do. You find a job - a  _ non-bloody _ job and I’ll give you the difference. In exchange for your blood.”

 

Donghyuck sighs, dropping his head back against the couch. “Can I- can I think about it please?” He’s going to say no, he already knows this. No matter how much Donghyuck will end up suffering, he’ll be damned if he becomes someone who needs others and especially their  _ money _ to live.   
  


“Yeah,” Jaemin says quietly. “Yeah, of course.”

 

🎴

 

Renjun slams the door to his apartment open, flinging his backpack off and kicking off his shoes in the same movement. “Donghyuck?” He calls, sticking his head into the kitchen. “Donghyuck, where are you, we need to talk?” Renjun shoves the door to Donghyuck’s bedroom open and stops short when he sees Donghyuck lying in his bed, holding his phone over his head. “Why the hell didn’t you answer me?”

 

Donghyuck slides his eyes sideways, glancing at Renjun before turning back to his show. “Thought I was dreaming,” he says shortly. “You can’t have  _ possibly  _ been talking to me. Not after a month of silence.”

 

“Well, I  _ am  _ talking to you now.” Renjun slams the bedroom door shut and glares at him. “You’re going back to the feeding center?”

 

Donghyuck blinks at him and sits up. “Did Jaemin tell you?”

 

“He mentioned it, yeah,” Renjun growls, anger roiling up in him. “I can’t believe you’re thinking of going back after all the shit you went through, all the shit you put  _ me  _ through.”

 

Donghyuck snorts bitterly, looking down at his legs, still tangled up in the sheets. “Why do you even care?”

 

Renjun stares at him, and suddenly his legs feel too weak and he has lean against the door for more leverage. “What?” He breathes, voice soft, and Donghyuck sits up straighter, apparently having realised he’s just said something very wrong. “How could you say that?” Renjun demands, voice getting louder with every word. “How could you  _ ever _ think that? How could you think I wouldn’t care about you going off and killing yourself?! How could you-”   
  


“Renjun,” Donghyuck breaks in, swinging his legs off the bed, looking worried. “Calm down.”

 

“How can I be calm?” Renjun yells, voice cracking. “You’re the only person I’ve  _ ever  _ loved and now you want me to watch you  _ die all over again? _ ”

 

Donghyuck stares at him and Renjun suddenly realises what he’d said, his chest freezing in fear. Oh, he can’t lose Donghyuck. He can’t be the reason Donghyuck walks out of his life forever. Renjun casts his mind around trying to think of an excuse, of something,  _ anything _ to get himself out of the situation.

 

“You love me?” Donghyuck asks, voice wavering as he moves forward, sliding off the bed and walking towards Renjun. His eyes are large and bright and Renjun can’t do anything but blink at him in silence. “You, Renjun Huang, you -  _ you -  _ love  _ me _ ?”

 

“I didn’t mean to say that,” Renjun says, his own voice shaking horribly. “I didn’t-”

 

“But did you mean it?” Donghyuck whispers, stepping into Renjun’s space. “Did you mean it when you said,” his breath hitches. “When you said you love me?”

 

“Donghyuck-”

 

“Jun-ah,” Donghyuck pleads, and there’s desperation in his eyes. “Please.”

 

Renjun looks up at him. He’s always been so weak for Donghyuck. “Yes,” he breathes, all the fight draining out of him. “Yes, I love you.” He presses his lips together. “Please, don’t-”

 

“I love you too.” 

 

Renjun’s mouth drops open and he stares at Donghyuck’s face, suddenly open and wanting. “What?”

 

“I love you too,” Donghyuck says, helplessly, nudging into Renjun’s space and placing his hands on Renjun’s waist. Renjun’s head tips back to keep him in view. “God, I don’t think I’ve ever loved anyone as much as I love you. Renjun, I love you so, so much.”

 

Renjun makes a noise, almost like a sob, and throws his arms around Donghyuck’s neck, pulls him closer. “I love you,” he whispers, his nose brushing against Donghyuck’s. “I love you, I love you, I love-”

 

Donghyuck lets out a watery laugh and kisses him. 

 

Renjun’s not a romantic - or well, he’s not an overt one. He’s not prone to big gestures of romance or using flowery words to get his feelings across, but god, if kissing Donghyuck isn’t the best thing that he’s ever felt. It feels slightly wet, given that Renjun’s teary and Donghyuck's full-on sobbing as they trip backwards and land on the bed, Renjun tightening his legs around Donghyuck’s waist as he kisses him harder. It feels amazing, kissing the person he loves after so long of wanting him. 

 

It feels like coming home.

 

🎴

 

Loving Donghyuck used to be pain. 

 

It used to be following Donghyuck’s figure around their apartment with his gaze, fingers itching to pull him into his arms. It used to be Renjun looking forward to every brush of their hands, every kiss Donghyuck bestowed upon him, his cheeks burning from the touch of Donghyuck’s lips on his skin. It used to be Renjun quietly worrying every night, ears desperately listening for the apartment door, so he’d know Donghyuck was back home safe and not lying in some ditch, bleeding out from his wounds. It used to be excruciating, intolerable torture. And yet, Renjun had craved it nonetheless. 

  
  
  


Now, loving Donghyuck is easy. It’s waking up in Donghyuck’s arms and turning blindly to kiss him, giggling when their noses collide. It’s letting Donghyuck curl up next to him, knowing that he has the freedom to lean over and kiss him with no fear of repercussion. It’s knowing, with every beat of his heart, every second of his life that passes, that this is the happiest he’s been.  Renjun basks in it, lets Donghyuck’s affection shower over him and drowns in it, unresisting. Loving Donghyuck is the easiest thing Renjun’s ever had to do and he wants it to last forever.

  
  
  


“Donghyuck,” Renjun murmurs as they’re curled up on the couch. It’s a rare day where Renjun doesn’t have any work and being that it’s summer, neither of them have classes. “You’re not going to go back to the center, are you?”

 

Donghyuck had told him about Jaemin’s offer and how he gently texted Jaemin a rejection - a thanks, but no thanks. Jaemin hadn’t responded. Hadn’t picked up when Renjun had called either. It hurts a little but Renjun can bear it if Jaemin needs space. Besides, being with Donghyuck leaves very little room for pain in his life. 

 

Donghyuck sighs. “No,” he whispers. “I won’t.”

 

Renjun props himself up, staring down at Donghyuck who’s curled against his chest. “Really?”

 

A smile twitches across Donghyuck’s face. “Yeah. I already found another job. It doesn’t pay as well, but-” he shrugs. “We’ll make it work. I just-” he swallows, blushing a little. “I don’t want to see you cry like that again.”

 

Renjun stares down at him, heart filling to the brim so fast he thinks it’s fit to burst. “I love you,” he breathes before leaning down to crush his mouth against Donghyuck’s. “I love you so, so much. Thank you.”

 

Donghyuck smiles against his mouth and loops his arms around Renjun’s neck, tugging him closer. “No need to thank me,” he mumbles. “I’d do anything for you.”

 

Renjun lets out a little noise and yanks him harder against himself, kissing Donghyuck until he’s sure Donghyuck can feel the love pouring out of him. 

 

🎴

 

Jaemin hasn’t been to the cafe in weeks. 

 

It’s becoming silly how often Renjun’s head snaps up when the bell above the door jangles every time it opens. Person after person comes in day after day, but none of them are Jaemin. Donghyuck hasn’t gone back to the center, but even he hasn’t seen Jaemin in weeks. Neither of them mention it, but Renjun can feel something echo in his chest, as if his ribcage is endlessly empty like a cave, and the sound of his heartbeat clangs on forever before it ends. 

 

“Something’s wrong with you,” Donghyuck says, chin propped up on his hands as he sits on the stool by the counter. It used to be Jaemin’s chair, and Renjun blinks away that thought before he can go down that road. 

 

“Thanks,” he says instead, affecting a affronted tone, but Donghyuck just purses his lips, undeterred. 

 

“You know what I mean,” he says firmly. “What’s wrong?”   
  


“It’s nothing,” Renjun mutters, moving away to clean the espresso machine before the lunchtime rush gets here, but Donghyuck grabs his wrist before he can get very far. 

 

“I have to go to work in twenty,” Donghyuck says, eyes serious. “Tell me now or I’ll kiss it out of you.”

 

The laugh that sputters out of Renjun shocks himself, and Donghyuck’s lips twitch into a smile before he raises himself up off the chair and tangles his fingers in the collar of Renjun’s work shirt, tugging him over the counter. Renjun braces himself on the counter as their lips meet, Donghyuck tasting like the overly sweet coffee he loves to consume. 

 

“I’m at work,” Renjun laughs, gently pushing Donghyuck back. “Stop it.”   
  


“Not until you tell me,” Donghyuck murmurs, tugging him back again, and despite himself, Renjun feels weak. The second Donghyuck had figured out that kissing Renjun would get him anything he wanted, he’d become more and more demanding, and Renjun was the fool who gave into him every time. 

 

Renjun sighs as Donghyuck sits back on the chair, a warning look in his eyes that said both of them would be parting with bruises and bitten lips at the end of the twenty minutes if Renjun didn’t confess soon. “I miss him,” Renjun blurts and then winces. What a thing to say to his boyfriend of mere weeks. 

 

To his surprise, Donghyuck doesn’t look hurt, just thoughtful. “Jaemin?” He asks, before nodding at Renjun’s agreement with a hum. “Yeah, me too. Who’d have thought I’d miss that dumb vamp so much?”

 

Relief washes over Renjun, and he drops his elbows on the counter, leaning over it. “It feels weird,” he murmurs, with a frown. “I don’t know how to explain it. Like...like something’s missing. Not between us, just- just- as a whole.”

 

Donghyuck reaches his hands across the short distance between them and tangles their fingers together. “Yeah, I know what you mean.”

 

Renjun’s gaze gets caught on the scars on Donghyuck’s neck. They haven't faded yet, and he’s sure they won’t for a long, long time, not with how many years Donghyuck had gone with being bitten. But they’ve dulled a little, no longer standing out so starkly black and purple against his skin. “Do you miss it?” He asks quietly. 

 

There’s a moment of silence and the clouds outside shift past the sun, flooding the cafe with sunlight all of a sudden. “Yeah,” Donghyuck says, pulling a hand away to trace over his own scars. “Sometimes.” He shrugs. “It feels like a kind of phantom pain, but it’s not pain, not really. Just,” he takes a breath and glances down at the wood. “Almost like a want. Like a need. I don’t know.”

 

A phantom want. Renjun takes it in and digests this. He doesn’t know what to say, but Donghyuck looks up with a smile, all previous apprehension melted away. “Don’t worry, Jun-ah,” he says quietly. “I’m not going to go back.”

 

“Even for him?” It comes out of nowhere, and Renjun stares at Donghyuck, in shock at himself, as Donghyuck blinks back at him, just as surprised. 

 

“For Jaemin?” 

 

“Yeah,” Renjun says. “Would you go back for him?”   
  


Donghyuck frowns. “I… I don’t know,” he tilts his head. “He’s the  _ only _ one I’d go back for. He’s the only one who really ever cared.” He glances at Renjun. “Is that weird to say?”

 

Renjun shrugs. “I don’t know, but I get what you mean. It’s like,” he coughs, blushing at the next few words that come out of his mouth. “It’s weird not seeing him every day. I almost miss that stupid hair of his.”

 

Donghyuck smiles at him. “We both like him, don’t we?” Taking Renjun’s silence as agreement, he nods. “Maybe, I would - go back, that is. But only if you were okay with it.” His hands tighten around Renjun’s and Renjun blinks. “I’m not going to risk anything for you. Not even Jaemin.”

 

The sun floods the cafe again and Renjun can feel that warmth being mirrored in his heart, cheeks filling up with heat as he tries to meet Donghyuck’s sincere eyes. “And if-if I were okay with it?” He stutters, looking away from Donghyuck, thankful that the cafe is still marginally empty, save for a couple of teenage girls chattering near the back. 

 

Donghyuck smiles. “Then I guess I’d be the luckiest boy in the world; getting a cute vampire and the love of my life,” he says, before leaning in and pressing a sweet kiss to Renjun’s cheek. “I’ve got to go to work, but we’re going to talk later, okay?”

 

“Yeah,” Renjun mutters, turning to meet Donghyuck’s lips before he can pull away and kissing him fully on the mouth. “See you at home.”

 

He’s ever so pleased to see Donghyuck’s cheeks fill with a darkly attractive pink as he leaves the cafe. It’s a rare thing, being able to fluster Donghyuck so, and Renjun has to cherish these moments when he can. 

 

🎴

 

“I’m the best boyfriend in the world,” Donghyuck announces as he slams into their apartment, tossing his bag onto the couch before striding to the kitchen where he knows Renjun is. 

 

“You’re alright,” Renjun responds without turning around from the stove. “What’s got your ego all blown up now?”   
  


Donghyuck slams a piece of paper down on the counter next to Renjun before attaching himself to Renjun’s back and pressing his face into the crook of Renjun’s neck. 

 

He’s exhausted, but it’s a different kind of tired now. Before, when he used to work at the center, he’d drag himself home, feeling every cell in his body crying out for relief, feeling as if he could die any second and it still wouldn’t give him the relief he needed. Now, working at a hardware store, the exhaustion is different. His limbs feel weighed down and his brain is exhausted from managing inventory all day, but he doesn’t feel like death personified. It’s an improvement all in all. 

 

“What is this?” Renjun drops the ladle back into the pot before picking up the paper. 

 

“That is Jaemin’s address,” Donghyuck says. “I pulled it from the center’s system.”

 

“You were at the feeding center?” Renjun asks frantically, and he spins in Donghyuck’s hold, gaze going straight to his neck. 

 

“Calm down,” Donghyuck rolls his eyes. “I didn’t let anyone chew on my neck.” He backs Renjun up against the counter and nudges his nose, silently asking for a kiss. “I just went to bother Ten and to sneak Jaemin’s personal information off the computer while he was distracted.”

 

Renjun draws back, a frown creasing his pretty face. “Isn’t that illegal?” 

 

“Probably,” Donghyuck shrugs. “But if Jaemin wanted privacy, he shouldn’t have ignored us for a month. And also,” he adds, wrapping his arms around Renjun’s waist. “Don’t you want an explanation? He probably knew we were…  _ mutually inclined-” _

 

“You’re such a dork,” Renjun says fondly.

 

Donghyuck blushes but continues anyway. “He knew and he still liked us. Both of us.” 

 

“I hate when you’re sensible,” Renjun sighs, but he reads the paper again, flattening it against Donghyuck’s chest. “Are we really going to do this?”

 

“You’re the one who wants to fuck a vampire,” Donghyuck says bluntly, and Renjun smacks him. 

 

“I do not want to fuck him!” He exclaims, flushing. “I just - I just miss him.”

 

“Alright, Jane Austen,” Donghyuck says, pulling away from Renjun’s hold to stir the pot.

 

Renjun smacks him again but he can’t help the fondness filling up in his chest, attempting to fill the cave that’d been existing in his chest ever since he realised Jaemin wasn’t coming back. “I love you,” he says, kissing Donghyuck’s cheek. “No matter what happens when we go see him, I’ll still love you the most.”

 

“Mmm,” Donghyuck hums, still looking down at the pot, but Renjun can see his face spread into a smile. “Me too.”

 

🎴

 

“Oh my fucking god,” Donghyuck says, staring up at the building. 

 

Looking up himself, Renjun is inclined to agree. Jaemin’s apartment building is tall - unbelievably so - and incredibly fancy. The front doors are burnished in gold and there’s an imposing security guard standing outside, arms folded, and glowering at them.

 

“Oh my god,” Donghyuck says again as they tentatively walk in. The lobby is fully furnished, plush furniture spread across the smooth hardwood floors, and Renjun’s pretty sure there’s a whole mini fridge of La Croix by the back wall. The front desk is empty and Renjun wonders if they can just make a run for the elevators. He doesn’t want to tempt fate by having the front ring up Jaemin. “So he wasn’t joking about the money.”

 

“Apparently not,” Renjun murmurs, startling as Donghyuck walks straight to the elevators. “Can we just go up?”

 

“What were you planning on doing?” Donghyuck asks without turning around, and Renjun hurries after him. “Ringing a little bell and getting arrested for trespassing?”

 

“That makes no sense,” Renjun snipes back, tumbling in after Donghyuck just before the elevator doors close. 

 

“It made sense in my head,” Donghyuck shoots back, and they both stare at themselves in the golden mirrors that serve as the inside of the elevator doors. Donghyuck takes a breath. “Jun-ah, what if he hates us?”

 

Renjun starts. “Why would he?”

 

Donghyuck shrugs. “I don’t know, he hasn’t talked to us in a month. What if he got tired of us? He has been around for centuries, hasn’t he? I’m sure he has better things to do than worry about two humans.”

 

Renjun tangles their hands together and uses his grip to pull Donghyuck closer. “Then we yell at him for being a dick and leave,” he says offhandedly. “Not much else we can do.”

 

“God, I love you,” Donghyuck breathes, and Renjun grins. 

 

“Yeah,” he agrees just as the elevator doors open with a melodic  _ ding _ , leading out into a thickly carpeted hallway and two doors, one on either side. “I am pretty great.”

  
  
  
  


Jaemin’s door is on the right hand side, and Renjun narrows his eyes at the golden  _ 902 _ before raising a hand and knocking. Donghyuck’s hand tightens around his for a brief second before letting go and stepping back, just as the door opens. 

 

Jaemin stares down at them, hair disheveled and wearing nothing but a pair of pajama bottoms. Renjun and Donghyuck look back at him, Renjun focusing his stare very determinedly above Jaemin’s collarbone. He notices Donghyuck doing no such thing, his eyes travelling down Jaemin’s body, an appreciative gleam in his eyes. Renjun internally rolls his eyes.

 

“What,” Jaemin croaks hoarsely before clearing his throat. “What are you guys doing here?”

 

“You didn’t come to the cafe,” Donghyuck says, moving forward, and Jaemin hurriedly moves back before they collide. “Renjun got sad. And I don’t like seeing him sad, so here we are.”

 

“You guys made up then?” Jaemin asks, turning back to Renjun, eyes dark and so full of emotion that Renjun’s a little taken aback. “Good for you.”

 

“Yes,” Renjun says, finding his voice and finding the strength to move into Jaemin’s apartment, trying in earnest not to brush against his bare chest. “But then you decided to disappear on us.”

 

“Not so good for us,” Donghyuck chimes from where he’s sprawled on the leather couch, eyeing them with sharply mischievous eyes.

 

“What- what do you mean?” Jaemin croaks in confusion, before glancing down at himself and blushing. He grabs a shirt from behind a door and joins them. “I thought you guys were fine?”

 

“You-” Renjun starts but is cut off by Donghyuck. 

 

“What have you been doing for blood?” He asks, leaning forward as Jaemin takes the squishy armchair by the fireplace. A fireplace, honestly. 

 

Jaemin blushes harder. “Why?”

 

Donghyuck shrugs, eyes lighting up. “Well, you claimed I was the most delicious. I’m curious as to what second-rate blood you went after in my place.”

 

“Well, you said no to my offer,” Jaemin shoots back, apparently finding his foot in the argument. Renjun’s impressed. He’s met very few people who can keep up with Donghyuck when he’s in a combative mood. “Why do you care?”

 

“Ah,” Donghyuck sighs, stretching his hands over his head. It doesn’t escape Renjun’s attention that Jaemin’s eyes get drawn to bared stomach before shooting up to Donghyuck’s face, and clearly it doesn’t escape Donghyuck’s either, going by the smirk on his face. “Because I became, how did you put it? Very  _ fond _ of you. And so did Renjun.” He relaxes back into the seat, pouting at Jaemin. “But you left us in the lurch. I thought you said you wanted to take care of me. What happened to that? Hmm, Jaemin?”

 

“Stop it,” Renjun hisses as Jaemin turns an ugly red colour in his embarrassment. He idly wonders how Jaemin can blush. “You’re being shameless.”

 

“I kind of have to be,” Donghyuck points out. “Neither of you were going to get this conversation moving.”

 

“I did,” Jaemin blurts, and they both freeze, turning back to him. Under their attention, Jaemin seems to grow more confident. “I meant what I said. To both of you. But..” He trails off.

 

“But?” Renjun prompts when the silence between them gets too long. 

 

Jaemin licks his lips, looking at them, and Renjun notices with a faint thrill that his fangs curve over his lips when he does. “But I wasn’t sure I’d be welcomed,” he says, quiet and so wanting it tugs at Renjun’s heartstrings a little. “Not when you two… have what you have.”

 

“And what is it that we have?” Donghyuck asks, and his voice is something between warm and knowing at the same time, and Renjun is abruptly glad that Donghyuck is here with him. He’s not sure he could have done this alone. Not with the way Jaemin’s looking at them now.

 

“Love,” Jaemin says and it falls like a stone in between them. “And I didn’t think you’d be willing to give that up just for a few flirtatious moments.”

 

“You’re an idiot,” Renjun snaps, and then blushes when both Donghyuck and Jaemin look at him, Jaemin surprised, Donghyuck amused. “I’m sorry, but you are. We both called you so many times; we texted, we waited, we  _ hoped  _ you’d come back. And you didn’t. You just decided on your own, that we weren’t worth trying for.”   
  


Jaemin gapes at him. “I - you both are worth  _ everything _ ,” he says shocked. “I just didn’t- I didn’t think I was.”

 

“Renjun’s right, you are an idiot,” Donghyuck says. “Be our fucking boyfriend, Jaemin Na - or whatever the vampire version of it is - so we can finally kiss you and you can drink my blood.”

 

Renjun lets out a laugh. “What he said,” he says, looking at Jaemin. “Be our fucking boyfriend so I can kiss you.”

 

🎴

  
  


“This is so stupid,” Renjun mutters. 

 

Jaemin’s mouth twitches into a smile and Donghyuck doesn’t even look up from the wine list. “I’m taking you both out for dinner for our three month anniversary,” Jaemin says. “How is that stupid?”

 

“You can’t even eat anything,” Renjun hisses. “And this place is way too fancy.”

 

“Be quiet,” Donghyuck says, flipping the menu over. There’s an insane amount of wines on here and he wants to try them all. “We’re getting fancy wine and fancy food and we don’t even have to pay for it. Why the hell are you complaining?”

 

“What he said,” Jaemin chimes in sweetly, leaning back in his seat. His hand moves, and Donghyuck knows with a blood curdling certainty that Jaemin’s hand is resting inappropriately high on Renjun’s thigh. Renjun blushes, but doesn’t move away, and Donghyuck smirks to himself. “And I don’t mind. Just watching you two eat will make me full.”   
  


Renjun fakes a retch and Donghyuck snorts. “That was cheesy, even for you,” he says, tossing the menu on the table, apparently having decided what to get. He turns to Jaemin. “Don’t worry, babe, I’ll take care of you later.” He feels that familiar thrill run down his spine when Jaemin’s eyes darken as they lock onto Donghyuck’s neck, where now only one scar sits, proudly red and purple. Standing out against the mess on his skin. 

 

Renjun retches again, louder. “You both are so gross,” he complains when they turn their attention to him. 

 

“You’re only saying that because you don’t know what it feels like,” Donghyuck shoots back. Jaemin’s smile grows as Renjun opens his mouth to reply, but before he can, the waiter shows up and he falls silent. 

 

They wait until they’re left in silence again before Renjun speaks. “It can’t feel  _ that _ good,” he frowns, staring at Donghyuck’s neck. 

 

“My eyes are up here,” Donghyuck snaps his fingers to get their attention. “Honestly, with the two of you, I feel like a buffet.”

 

Jaemin lets out a fond laugh and presses his fingers into the back of Donghyuck’s neck, his thumb rubbing over the wound. “A very delicious buffet,” he murmurs, smile only growing, wicked and pleased, when Donghyuck shoots a baleful look at him. 

 

“Anyway,” Donghyuck says to Renjun. “It  _ can _ feel that good. You just have to be with someone who knows what they’re doing.”

 

“And I’m  _ very _ experienced,” Jaemin purrs, preening like a cat when Donghyuck runs his fingers over Jaemin’s arm.

 

Renjun eyes them, a considering look in his gaze. “Can I try?” He asks abruptly. 

 

Donghyuck’s mouth drops open, feeling heat rush through him, and judging by the dumbstruck look on Jaemin’s face, he’s experiencing something similar. 

 

“What?” Jaemin croaks. “You want to-”

 

“There must be a reason Hyuck’s kept on doing it,” Renjun says, gaze travelling slowly down Donghyuck’s figure before turning piercing eyes to Jaemin. Donghyuck squirms in his seat, suddenly thrown off his rhythm. “So I want to try. Can I?”

 

“Oh my god,” Jaemin says faintly. 

 

Renjun smirks. “I’ll take that as a yes, then,” he says sweetly. “Oh look, the food’s here. Yay.”

 

🎴

 

Renjun had held onto his confidence until he was sitting on Jaemin’s lap, straddling his legs on his insanely large bed. It has an honest-to-god canopy, with heavy curtains that draw around the sides. In all the ways Jaemin was an unconventional vampire - with the two human boyfriends and the coffee drinking (which apparently very few vampires did) - he more than made up for it in his interior decorating. 

 

Renjun swallows, looking down at Jaemin nervously before glancing at Donghyuck who’s sitting next to them. “Will it hurt?”

 

“A little,” Donghyuck murmurs. “But you won’t feel it for very long.”

 

“You don’t have to,” Jaemin says, and when Renjun looks at him, he finds Jaemin looking up him with nothing but unadulterated adoration in his eyes. “I won’t feel bad if you don’t.”

 

“I want to,” Renjun says firmly, hoping his voice doesn’t shake too visibly. “Just- don’t do it for too long, okay?”   
  


Jaemin’s face creases with fondness and he places two freezing fingers on Renjun’s chin, tipping him down for a sweet kiss. “I’ll be very careful,” he says quietly. “Donghyuck’s here in case anything bad happens.”

 

“Nothing bad will,” Donghyuck says quietly and his hand, resting on Renjun’s thigh, rubs soothingly. “Trust me.”

 

“I do,” Renjun whispers. “Both of you.” And he slowly, carefully, tilts his neck sideways, a flush of fear and exhilaration rushing through him when he sees Jaemin’s gaze lock onto his neck, his eyes flooding red. Jaemin’s hands come up to brace his head, the other one slipping down to Renjun’s back.

 

“God,” Jaemin breathes, his lips inches from Renjun’s neck and Renjun jerks at the feeling. “You smell so good.” And then he bites. 

 

It  _ hurts _ . It hurts so fucking bad, and Renjun’s eyes fill up with tears, a cry tripping out of his mouth in shock. He wonders, distantly, how Donghyuck had done this every night for  _ years _ . 

 

“Breathe through it,” Donghyuck instructs softly, his hand still rubbing up and down Renjun’s thigh, thumb running in almost distracting circles. “Breathe, Jun-ah.”

 

Renjun takes a shaky breath, and just as the pain climbs to an all-time high, just as he’s about to pull away, begging to stop, the pleasure floods his brain, taking out his pain receptors with a wrecking ball. Renjun whimpers as he sags in Jaemin’s hold, head tipping back further. Jaemin’s lips are so warm against his skin, and every shift of his teeth is toe-curlingly  _ good _ . Heat floods Renjun’s whole body and he can feel himself hardening under Jaemin’s hold, under Donghyuck’s fingers brushing his cock, his hand still wrapped around Renjun’s thigh. 

 

“Oh,” Donghyuck breathes, a note of amusement sharpening his tone. “Oh, do you  _ like  _ that, Jun-ah?”

  
Renjun shuts his eyes, embarrassment crashing over him before it’s quickly pushed away by pleasure as Donghyuck’s hand comes to rest on his cock. “Please,” he whimpers. 

 

“Please what?” Donghyuck asks sweetly but his hand is already moving, pushing aside Renjun’s boxers, wrapping around Renjun’s leaking cock. 

 

Renjun lets out an embarrassingly desperate noise, hands flying up to clutch Jaemin’s hair as Donghyuck does something magical with his hand. He barely notices when Jaemin pulls away, when he licks over the wound. The pleasure is coming at him doubly, coursing through his veins from the bite and the feeling of Donghyuck’s hand on his cock. 

 

He lasts a mortifyingly short amount of time and comes slumping against Jaemin’s chest, whimpering in a way he never has before. 

 

“That was so hot,” Jaemin breathes, his chest rising and falling unsteadily, and Renjun whines, covering his face with his hands. 

 

“That was so embarrassing,” he says. “I can’t believe that happened.”

 

“It’s normal,” Donghyuck says, laughing warmly. “Don’t worry.”

 

Renjun peels his hands away from his face to peek at them. Jaemin’s mouth is covered in blood. Renjun’s blood. And something hot and sharp goes slicing through Renjun at that. Donghyuck is watching him, eyes dark.

 

“You looked so good, Jun-ah,” Donghyuck says and kisses him. Renjun’s eyes flutter shut and he leans into Donghyuck’s touch, his body heating up when he feels Jaemin’s cold hand curling around his waist. 

 

“You both look good,” Jaemin says lowly as Renjun draws away, heart still beating far too fast to be safe.

 

“Do you need more?” Donghyuck asks Jaemin softly, his hand, somehow clean, carding through Renjun’s hair. 

 

Jaemin blinks still red eyes at him. “Please?” He asks through a mouthful of fangs. “If you-”

 

“Yeah,” Donghyuck says easily. “Come on, Jun-ah,” he says to Renjun. “You can be on the other side of the equation this time.” 

 

Renjun lets Jaemin pick him up off his lap and watches, breath suddenly coming heavy and fast as Donghyuck slides down to lie on the bed, Jaemin hovering over him, looking predatory and dangerous. 

 

“Come on,” Donghyuck breathes, smirking, tangling his fingers in Jaemin’s hair, his free hand coming to grab Renjun’s hand, thumb stroking gently over Renjun’s knuckles. “Don’t you want this, Min-ah?”

 

“You’re lucky you taste so good,” Jaemin murmurs before sinking his teeth into Donghyuck’s neck. 

 

Renjun watches in quiet fascination as Donghyuck’s eyes flutter shut, as his hand tightens around Renjun’s. There’s something intrinsically attractive about the way Donghyuck goes limp in Jaemin’s hold, the way he totally surrenders to Jaemin’s instincts, the way his lips part in a silent moan. 

 

“Fuck,” Renjun breathes, and if he hadn’t come a mere two minutes ago, he’d really be hard over this. 

 

Donghyuck’s leg comes up to wrap around Jaemin’s waist and he tugs him closer. Renjun doesn’t even realise Jaemin’s pulled off because his face is still buried in Donghyuck’s neck until Donghyuck lets out an impatient noise. 

 

“Come on,” he says, and rolls his hips up against Jaemin’s. “Jaemin-  _ fuck. _ ” Renjun bites his lower lip, feeling a flush of heat run through him as he watches them move together, a beautiful sine wave, melding together as one. Jaemin’s hands fist in the sheets above Donghyuck’s head and he lets out a groan, nearly ripping into them. 

 

Donghyuck eyes flutter open to meet Renjun’s gaze and Renjun flushes at how glazed over his eyes look. “Jaemin,” Donghyuck whispers in a wrecked voice. “Come on, Renjun’s watching. Don’t you want to show him how good you can be?” 

 

Jaemin rips his face away and glances over at Renjun. There’s blood dripping down his fangs, trailing down his chin before landing on Donghyuck’s chest, and his eyes are still red. “Baby,” he says, and Renjun moves without realising, grabs Jaemin’s face in his free hand and kisses him, hard and bruising. Jaemin lets out a snarl, licking into his mouth, and Renjun lets him take control, the taste of his and Donghyuck’s blood coating his tongue. Despite Jaemin’s roughness, Renjun feels the dynamics shift, feels some of his previous confidence come back and he welcomes it. 

 

“Jaemin,” Renjun says, pulling away and feeling pleased when Jaemin tries to follow. “You’re not showing me what you can do.”

 

Jaemin heaves an unsteady breath. “What- what do you want me to do?” He asks, eyes flitting between Renjun and Donghyuck, who somehow already looks fucked out. 

 

Renjun kisses him again, teasingly running his tongue down the side of one of Jaemin’s fangs. “Show me how good you can be,” he says, moving away, closer to Donghyuck’s head. “Make Donghyuck come. He’s been so good for you, hasn’t he? Don’t neglect him.”

 

Jaemin stares at him before bending to kiss Donghyuck. “Sorry, Hyuck,” he murmurs. “I didn’t mean to.”

 

Donghyuck whines, already half undone. “Please,” he says, hips jerking up against Jaemin’s hips. “Min-ah, please.”

 

“Yeah,” Jaemin says, crushing his mouth against Donghyuck’s. “I’m going to take care of you, babe.”

 

Renjun watches, a strange pleased feeling filling him as Jaemin grinds messily against Donghyuck. Donghyuck’s legs return to wrap around his waist, holding him closer, and Jaemin moves with it easily, nosing down the side of Donghyuck’s neck. Even from here, Renjun can see the way Jaemin traces his teeth against the fresh wound on Donghyuck’s neck, can see the way Donghyuck shudders, before locking up under his touch and comes with the messiest, prettiest cry. 

 

Jaemin’s and Donghyuck’s pants fill the air, echoing off each other, and Renjun’s feels a sharp thrill run through him when Jaemin travels down, licking off the blood that had landed on Donghyuck’s chest before going back up, dropping bloody kisses on Donghyuck’s sunlit skin. Donghyuck kisses the side of Jaemin’s face, murmuring sweet nothings as his hand travels down Jaemin’s side before pushing in between them, clearly stroking Jaemin’s cock. It’s the most alluring sight Renjun’s ever seen, watching Jaemin reduced to a fraction of his normal self, letting out a noise Renjun’s never heard from him, before slumping against Donghyuck, completely spent. 

 

“God.” Donghyuck’s the first to speak, as he always is. “I think I’ve died.”

 

Jaemin lets out a noise of agreement as he rolls off Donghyuck’s body to land on the bed, still panting. “I’m already dead,” he says breathlessly. “And I didn’t think it was possible to die  _ again _ .” He picks his head, summoning the strength from somewhere to shoot Renjun a sleazy wink. “Until tonight.”

 

Renjun presses his lips, feeling all previous fondness and arousal vanish at that. “You’re both drama queens,” he says, getting off the bed and heading to Jaemin’s bathroom to get towels because clearly, the other two aren’t about to move anytime soon.

  
  
  


“Thank you,” Jaemin murmurs when they’re all clean and curled around each other, Renjun pressed in the middle, Donghyuck’s face already pressed into his neck. Jaemin’s fingers trace over the wound on Renjun’s neck and Renjun shudders, feeling his toes curl at the sensation. “You were so good.”

 

“What did you think?” Donghyuck asks. “Did it feel  _ good _ ?”

 

Renjun eyes him before closing his eyes. “I’m not feeding your egos,” he says imperiously. “You both already can’t even fit through normal doors with how large your heads have gotten.”

 

“Ah,” Jaemin laughs. “So that’s a yes. Thanks, babe.” Renjun rolls his eyes and lets Jaemin attach himself to his back like a limpet, lips pressed against Renjun’s pulse.

 

He’d been wrong clearly. His heart could handle being this much in love with two people. Donghyuck presses a soft kiss to his jaw as he drifts off into sleep, the hold he has on Renjun’s shirt loosening and Renjun smiles. This is one time he’s totally fine with being proven wrong. 

 

🎴

 

“Large Americano with… eight shots for the vampire,” Renjun sighs, slamming down the cup. “And a medium, ridiculously sweet mocha for the pain in my ass.”

 

Donghyuck and Jaemin coo in harmony as Renjun puts the other cup down. Jaemin privately thinks he looks very handsome in his work shirt, but the last time he’d said that - paired with a wink - Renjun had dumped his coffee all over him, looking bored and unapologetic as Jaemin had sputtered, ice running down the front of his shirt.

 

“Shouldn’t Jaemin be the pain in your ass?” Donghyuck asks from where he’s perched on Jaemin’s lap, Jaemin’s arms wound around his waist. “Given that he’s the one that drilled into yo-”

 

“I’m at work,” Renjun hisses, turning purple as Jaemin starts shaking in silent laughter, his hand clutching Donghyuck tighter so he doesn’t fall off.

 

“My mistake,” Donghyuck says, sweetly picking up the cups and handing one to Jaemin. “Thanks for the coffee, Jun-ah.”

 

“You’re a pain in my ass,” Renjun says flatly, walking away. As he does, both Donghyuck and Jaemin’s heads tilt in unison, following his ass back to the counter. 

 

Jaemin waits until Renjun’s back to the counter before pressing his nose to the crook of Donghyuck’s ear and kissing him briefly, right above the marks on his neck.

 

“What was that for?” Donghyuck gasps, squirming as Jaemin’s cold skin touches his.

 

“You looked hot,” Jaemin murmurs, eyeing the stretch of Donghyuck’s thighs, spread over his own, tan and gleaming in the sun. “Thought I’d cool you down.”

 

“Very helpful, Min-ah,” Donghyuck says, leaning back against him. “Truly a connoisseur of my comfort.”

 

“Anything for you, babe,” Jaemin says, smacking another kiss on his neck before settling back against the couch. Renjun looks up from the counter and smiles at them, and Jaemin quietly marvels at the way the light hits him. 

 

“He’s so pretty,” Donghyuck sighs, dropping his head against Jaemin’s chest. Jaemin hums in agreement.

 

The sun shifts in front of the clouds again, spilling sunlight all over the cafe, and Jaemin quietly basks in it, in the way both his boyfriends look covered in gold and warmth. He can hear Donghyuck’s heartbeat, strong and steady, right against his chest, and from a little farther away, Renjun’s. Both of them somehow fall into harmony with each other in just a few beats and Jaemin closes his eyes, presses his face against Donghyuck’s neck and breathes him in, letting the sound of their hearts lull him into peace. 

 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading, please let me know what you thought ♡
> 
> [twt](https://twitter.com/_donghyuck_)  
> [cc](https://curiouscat.me/hyxcheis)  
> if you'd like to [commission](https://twitter.com/dhyuckseo/status/1097584124674621441) me


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